Walleye forward Andrewj Nestrasil ‘Plus Performer’

Toledo Walleye forward Andrej Nestrasil is the AMI Graphics ECHL Plus Performer of the Month for December with a plus 13. Nestrasil was resassigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins soon after.

Nestrasil finished December with a plus 5 in the game to close out the month, a 9-4 win in Fort Wayne on December 31. He also had two games where he was a plus 2, December 1 against Cincinnati and the 16th against Florida. Nestrasil was a plus or better in each of his ten December games, and for the season he holds a Walleye best plus-minus at plus 14.

The former third round draft choice of Detroit in 2009 has appeared in a total of 30 games this season with Toledo and has collected 31 points (10g, 21a), which ties him for the team lead. He has at least one point in each of his last 11 games with a total of 4 goals and 14 assists during the streak. The 31 points is two more than Nestrasil collected in 51 contests with Toledo a season ago.

Former Toledo Walleye forward Andrej Netrasil (right) heads down the ice at the Huntington Center in downtown Toledo. (Photo courtesy of the Toledo Walleye)

AMI Graphics in recognition of this award will present Nestrasil with a personalized Plus Performer of the Month Banner during an on-ice ceremony at an upcoming Walleye home game. Tickets are on sale for Walleye games online at www.toledowalleye.com, or at 419-725-9255.

The Walleye set a new franchise record for goals in a game in a 9-4 win at Fort Wayne. Toledo has a record of 18-12-0-1 and is 9-7-0-1 on the road this season.

Toledo would get the game’s first goal just 3:11 into the opening period. Kyle Rogers beat Ken Reiter with a wrist shot from the left circle for his 6th goal of the season. Joey Martin and Randy collected the assists on the goal from Rogers. The Komets would tie the game at 6:21 when J.M. Rizk beat Pearce on a breakaway from the Toledo blue line. Toledo would regain the lead just 34 seconds later at 6:55 when Andrej Nestrasil wristed a shot past Reiter. The lone assist went to Cody Lampl on the 9th goal of the season from Nestrasil. The Komets would even the game at two at 10:39 when Pearce was beaten Scott Kishel.

“The message was to keep things simple tonight,” said Coach Nick Vitucci. “We did a great job matching their energy at the start of the game. The best part was that we finished this team off after we got the lead.”

Terry Broadhurst would put Toledo back in front 3-2 at 7:13 of the second when he beat Reiter with a one-timer. Nestrasil had a perfect pass to Broadhurst for his 11th goal of the season. Wes O’Neill would put the Walleye in front by two goals at 9:43 with a power play goal, his 10th of the season. Toledo would make it 5-2 when Andrej Nestrasil scored his second goal of the night on a wrist shot from the right circle (O’Neill and Willie Coetzee assisting). The Komets would get a late goal to close to gap to 5-3 after two periods.

The offensive explosion would continue in the third period. Travis Novak would make it 6-3 at 8:52 of the period. After a Komet goal made it 6-4, Toledo’s Travis Novak would score his second goal of the game and 5th of the season to make 7-4 at 11:56. Adam Hobson would score his second of the year and Joey Martin would score a shorthanded goal for his 6th to round out the scoring.

Goaltender Jordan Pearce made 28 saves and is 9-5-0-0 on the season. The goal in the first period extended Andrej Nestrasil’s point streak to a season high 11 games (4g, 13a).

Prior to the game against longtime rival Fort Wayne, new to the ECHL this season, Toledo added forward John May to the roster for the game. May has appeared in 26 games over four years with the Walleye scoring twice with two assists.

Toledo, the ECHL Affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings, has claimed forward Stephon Thorne off of waivers from the Fort Wayne Komets.

Thorne has skated in 26 games this year with the Komets, scoring two goals with one assist and 37 penalty minutes. The native of Mississauga, Ontario had 32 points (11g, 21a) in 64 games last year with Fort Wayne in his first professional season. He also collected a goal and five assists during the Komets CHL championship run of last year.

Prior to turning professional last year, Stephon appeared in 189 games with the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League. Over those three seasons, Thorne collected 32 goals, 25 assists and 236 penalty minutes.

Toledo has agreed to terms with forward Trevor Nill. In a separate move, the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings have assigned Nestrasil to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL.

Nill, drafted in 2007 by the St. Louis Blues in the seventh round, is the son of Detroit Red Wings Vice President and Assistant General Manager Jim Nill. He spent the last four years skating with the Michigan State University where he appeared in 128 games for the Spartans, scoring 6 goals with 15 assists. The native of Novi, Michigan was an assistant captain in each of the past two years for Michigan State.

“Nill is a strong skater and very hard working forward,” said Vitucci. “He is also an extremely smart hockey player who is the right position.”

The Walleye have acquired defenseman Olivier Dame-Malka from the Bakersfield Condors in exchange for Defenseman Dale Warkentin and Forward Max Campbell. Malka will not be in the lineup tonight as Toledo plays in Fort Wayne.

Malka, the Montreal native, comes to Toledo after appearing in 23 games this year with Bakersfield Condors. In those games, Olivier has scored five goals with seven assists and 66 penalty minutes. He spent most of last season with the Wheeling Nailers, appearing 36 games with 18 points (7g, 11a). Dame-Malka also spent some of his first professional season with Hamilton of the AHL, collecting three points (1g, 2a) in 21 contests.

“Malka is a skilled, physical defenseman who will bring a lot of energy to our team,” said Vitucci. “He plays both ends of the ice very well.”

Prior to his professional career, Olivier played five seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. In a total of 226 games, he collected 33 goals, 81 assists and 376 penalty minutes. In the 2011 playoffs with Lewiston, Malka collected 19 points (9g, 10a) in 15 games.

Campbell has appeared in 30 games this year with Toledo, scoring 11 goals with 9 assists. Warkentin picked up 2 assists in seven games with the Walleye.